A fifth wheel hitch is commonly found on a truck tractor (e.g., tractor-trailer cab) and is typically used for hauling large semi-trailers. The fifth wheel hitch includes a hitch bearing plate that is positioned in a substantially horizontal plane. A kingpin is coupled to a bearing plate located on a semi-trailer. The semi-trailer bearing plate is also positioned in a substantially horizontal plane. The hitch bearing plate receives the kingpin and locks it in place with a locking mechanism. During use, the semi-trailer bearing plate rests upon and pivots on the upper surface of the hitch bearing plate to permit the truck tractor and semi-trailer to articulate when turning while remaining engaged together. The hitch bearing plate bears a large portion of the semi-trailer weight and much friction occurs between the hitch bearing plate and the semi-trailer bearing plate during pivoting.
To reduce this friction, operators deposit a layer of grease between the hitch bearing plate and semi-trailer bearing plate. However, operators must continually replace this grease layer in order to prevent wear and damage to the respective bearing plates. In addition, grease is undesirable because it is environmentally unfriendly and very messy. Grease also attracts dirt and other debris, which in turn creates more friction between the respective bearing plates plus excessive wear to the same.
Others have replaced the layer of grease with a cover to the hitch bearing plate. The cover consists of a low-friction material such as a polymeric material. However, such a cover is made entirely of a single low-friction material that is not mechanically durable to withstand direct engagement of the kingpin during coupling of the tractor to the trailer or wear over a lifetime of the hitch bearing plate. As such, the cover often breaks or degrades such that it itself must often be replaced. Replacing a cover is a costly, time consuming procedure and is not desirable. Replacement of the cover is a costly and time consuming procedure plus the discarded non-recyclable polymeric material is environmentally unfriendly.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide a low-friction surface on a hitch bearing plate of a fifth wheel, such that the low-friction surface not only provides low friction but is also mechanically durable.